Dress separator for wardrobe trunks or suitcases



Oct. 14, 1952 J sTAFFA 2,613,769

DRESS SEPARATOR FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS OR SUITCASES Filed June 24, 1948 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

Fig. 3.

44 52 6;0 5a J r\ (I I I W & Wm 44;

Joseph Sta ffa INVENTOR.

J. STAFFA Oct. 14, 1952 DRESS SEPARATOR FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS 0R SUITCASESFiled June 24, 1948 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Joseph Staffa INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 14, 1952 STATES PATENT.

' iiiiiiss SEPARATOR FOR TEUNKS R SUITCASES Jbse'piistafia,chides-6,111. Application time-24, 1948', Serial No. 34,912

6 clai ihi r 1 I This invention relates to garment hangers for valissand tliinks afi d is adapted to retain galments in a wardrobeciitsiiieig so that they will not be creased or "moved about when thevalise or trunk is in transit. The primary object of the present mentionis to'provide a wardrobe t'r'u'nk including novel and iln pfbv d meansfor ftaillilig a blulalitj or gennem holding fifai'iies in juxtapositionwithin the trunk. I

Anothe r obj'eot of the invention is to provide a wardrobe having upperand lower guides for slidably receiving a plurality of garment holdingframes, said upper guides including swingable outer sections which; areengageable with each other to retain frames disposed on the upper andlower guides within the trunk. A further objeet of the present inventionis to provide a Wardrobe trunk of the aforementioned charaeter includingspring means overlying the lower guides for yieldingly retainingportions of the frames that are slidable on the lower guides against thelower guides.

, .A still further object of the invention is to employ the garmentmounting means as a locking member in order to retainseeurely allarticles mounted thereon against accidental displacement;

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction andin the combination of the various parts and their mode of operation, aswill hereinafter appear.

The "following is a detailed description of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, and is illustrated in the'ae'companying drawings, Where-1n: Figure 1 is a perspeotiv'e view of the clothing hanging means inposition in a suitable wardrobe; 4 Figure 2 is a perspective view of theguide and looliing means for the hangers;

' Figure 3 is a sectional vi w of thelook of the guide and is takensubstantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2; w

Figure 4' is a side'elevation of a hanger of the Figure- 5 isa viewsimilar to Figure 4 and depicts an artifcle of clothing mounted thereon;

Figure dis a View of .the hanger of Figures 4 and 5; blit in Closed.position; v

Figure '7 is i'i-e'iiiarg'ed detail of a portion of the hanger and takensubstantiall'y'on the line ''=l f V Figure 8 is a-horizontal sectionalview, en la'rged, of the eath for the bottom half of the .2' hang'er andis taken substantially an line 8 t of Figure 6'; V

Figure 9 is a perspective view of :the Wardrobe with theretainingcurtain in position and. the hangers locked against movement; and

Figure 10 isa transverse vertical sectional'view taken substantially online [fi -I0v of Figure 9;

Referring to the figures, andpartic'ularly Figure 1, the invention isindicated generally by' numeral l0 and is disclosed 'as' being mountedin a top half I2 of a, trunk or suitcase, top [2 being hingedly attachedto a bottom M in the usual manner Well known in the art.

A pair of spaced parallel elongated angle track ets 16 extend alongthes'ide walls 24 of the to 12 and adjacent the bottom thereof, whenviewed in open position, as shown in Figure 1, depending legs [8 thereofbeingisouifed re the side ivallslfl as by rivets oi the like 22.'Il7iebrackets T6. are

spaced a short distance irofn the back wan 24 of r the top cover l2 inorder to ree'ive depending legs 26 of a pair of horizontallji' extendingflat retaining bars 28. The bars zsevenie, in spaced relation,horizontal legs as or angle tracks-tel s. The bars 28 terminate slightlybeyond the front end of the brackets IS in arciiat'e spiing likecatches32, for a purpose soon to be, apparent.

A U-shape'd bfabketificluding legs 34 and as is secured to each sidewall zii of wardrobe top {2 in vertical alignment with the, anglebrackets l6. Depending sleeve or journal 38 is integral with and is alateraleontinuation of mg 36 and re ceives therein a ooinbinedfetainerand guidelr'ail orr'o'dl.

Rod 40 is forfned ii'i twosectiojnsjaz andv 44, section 42 being forkeat o'ne'e fld, as at 46;in order to receive a reduced flange extension46 on member 44. A pivot pin 59 extends through the forked section 46andjiflange 48 to permitlguide member 4 i to be swnh'; laterally to theposition shown in Figure 2; or toexterid longitudinallyfas is clearlyev'ident' rom Figure 1'.Thus, it is readily apparent that rod 40 may beused t'o both uide a suitable clothing hang r thereon into permits alimited adjustment for the opposed rod 44 secured in sleeve 52 by meansof a locking pin 58 extending into an elongated slot 60 at one end ofsleeve 52.

A clothes hanger 62 is composed of two sections, an article mountingframe 64 slidable on guide rail 40, and an article retaining member 66which is pivotally mounted on the frame. Article mounting frame 64 isformed from a single, continuous wire rod, and includes an arcuate topportion 68, portion 68 having integrally formed thereon a hook I medialthe longitudinal length thereof. The extremes of arcuate section 68 arebent in areverse 0 I2 for latching the article retaining member 66thereto, bend 12 being resilient and laterally yieldable for thatpurpose. Article mounting frame 64 includes vertical sides having aninverted U-section 14 for sliding movement on rail 40 and is finallyformed with short, horizontal legs I6 at the bottom thereof, each leg 16including an offset I8 joined by means of a' straight section 80. Ahanger plate 82 is slotted at 84 to receive hook I0, and pivotallymounts, as by transverse pivot 86, a hanger 88 and hook 90 (Fig. 7).

Article retaining member 66 is also formed from a wire rod and has aU-shape configuration,

each leg 92 thereof tapering slightly inwardlyv and terminating in aneye portion 94. The eye portions 94 are secured to ofisets I8 in mount64 for pivotal movement thereon. Legs 92 include spaced lateral offsets98 adjacent eyes 94 to removably retain thereon coil springs 98. Springs98, when extended transversely across rod 66 and'into engagement witheach leg 92, are adapted to retain an article of clothing in fixedposition. Ends-of legs 92 which are opposite to the eyes 94, are lappedupon themselves .a short distance and are then extended transversely toform a fold bar I00.

From the above description, the manner in which individual hangers 62are employed is readily apparent. Hanger 62 is removed from the wardrobeand is opened to the position illustrated in Figure 4. Plate 82,carrying hanger 88 and supporting hook 90, is mounted on hook I0. Asuitable article of clothing, such as a dress or the like I02, is thenhung from hanger 88. Of course, it is understood that dress I02 may havebeen placed on hanger 88 prior to it being secured to holder 62. Theentire device, now containing an article of clothingxmay be suspendedvertically by means of hooks 90 or may be laid fiat on a horizontalsurface. Dress I02 is in the position illustrated in Figure 5 andoverlies wire portion 80 and I00. Coil springs 98, detached at one end,as seen in Figure 4, are then secured to the corresponding notches 96 ofthe opposed leg 92 of retaining member 66, one spring 98 being placed ontop of the article of clothing I02, the other being placed beneath it.Thus, a

it is readily apparent that members I00 and 98 cooperate to retain thearticle of clothing in immovable position. Holder 62 is then positionedin top I2 of the trunk or wardrobe by slidingfU-member 14 on guide rail40 and by sliding horizontal legs 16 between bar 28 and the leg 30 ofangle bracket I6, retaining member 66 being then pivoted into latchingengagement with c-ears I2, if not already in the position illustrated inFigure 6. It is to be noted 1 that transverse member I00 functions as afold and drape bar. As seen in Figure 10, as many as six clothingholders 82 may be placed within 4 the wardrobe or trunk. When thedesired articles of clothing have been positioned in the valise, aretaining curtain I04, having hems to receive an attaching rod I08 and atransverse mounting bar I06, the latter being secured to and extendingbetween upper ends of the opposite sides 20 of the wardrobe, is droppedacross the open side of top I2 so that the free ends of the rod I08engage with the catches 32, thereby securing the clothing within. Inorder to insure against accidental displacement of the dresses or thelike while in transit, rail members 44 are then pivoted, as illustratedin Figures 2 and 9, into locking engagement so as to provide additionalassurance that the packed items will be retained in fixed position andwithout creasing or wrinkling.

' While one complete embodiment has been described in detail, it is tobe understood that various features of this invention may beindependently used, and also that numerous modifications might be madeby those skilled in the art, without departure from the scope of theinvention defined in the following claims.

Having described the invention, What claimed as new is:

1. A wardrobe trunk comprising a housings. pair of spaced parallelguides within said housing, a second pair of spaced parallel guides alsowithin said housing and overlying said firstnamed pair of guides, aframe slidably mounted on all of said guides, means within said housingand overlying said first-mentioned pair of guides for yieldinglyretaining said frame relative to said first-mentioned pair of guides,and means carried by at least one pair of said guides for confining saidframe within said housing, said lastnamed means including a retainingbar extending between said first-mentioned pair of guides, said meansfor retaining said frame relative to said first-mentioned guidesincluding a pair of arms having terminal hooks receiving and holdingsaid bar.

2. A wardrobe trunk comprising a housing, a lower pair of guides mountedin said housing, an upper pair of guides also mounted in said housingand overlying and paralleling said lower guides, a frame slidablysupported on all of said guides, means carried by the upper guides forconfining said frame within said housing, means within said housing andoverlying said lower pair of guides for retaining the frame on the lowerpair of guides, and additional means engaging said retaining means forfurther aiding in confining the frame within the housing.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said frame includes first andsecond sections, said first section including a lower rail riding onsaid lower guides and vertical rails rising from said lower rail, a pairof detents formed in said lower rail, said second section beingpivotally mounted on said detents, said retaining means overlying saidlower of guides, additional means engaging said retaining means forfurther aiding in confining the frame within the housing, and meanscarried by said frame for supporting a garment.

5. A wardrobe trunk comprising a housing, a lower pair of horizontalguides within the housing, an upper pair of horizontal. guides withinthe housing paralleling and overlying the lower guides, a first framesection including a lower horizontal rail and a pair of vertical rails,hooks on said vertical rails slidably received on said upper guides,said lower rail riding on said lower guides, a pair of detents risingfrom the lower rail inspaced relation to the vertical rails, armsmounted in said housing overlying said lower guides and also overlyingsaid lower rail to retain the first frame section on all of said guides,said arms being also received between said detents and said verticalrails to restrict lateral movement of said frame relative to said upperand lower guides, a second frame section pivotally mounted on saiddetents, interconnecting means between the sections for retaining thesections in juxtaposition, and means carried by at least one pair ofsaid guides for confining said sections within said housing when thesections are retained in juxtaposition.

6. A wardrobe trunk comprising a housing, a lower pair of horizontalguides within the housing, an upper pair of horizontal guides within thehousing paralleling and overlying the lower guides,

a first frame section including a lower horizontal rail and a pair ofvertical rails, hooks on said vertical rails slidably received on saidupper guides, said lower rail riding on said lower guides, a pair ofdetents rising from the lower rail in spaced relation to the verticalrails, arms mounted in said'housing overlying said lower guides and alsooverlying said lower rail to retain the first frame section on all ofsaid guides, said arms also 6 relative to said upper and lower guides, asecond frame section pivotally mounted on said detents, a horizontallyswinging arm carried by each of said upper guides, interconnecting meansbetween said horizontally swinging arms to retain the horizontallyswinging arms perpendicular to said upper guides and to retain saidframe sections with- JOSEPH STAFFA.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,206,767 Wheary Nov. 28, 19161,323,246 7 Bruce Dec. 2, 1919 1,411,694 Grube Apr. 4, 1922 1,866,150Books July 5, 1932 2,269,252 Chestnut Jan. 6, 1942 2,297,903 Levine Oct.6, 1942 2,317,083 Plotkin Apr.' 20, 1943 2,328,099 Bitter Aug. 31, 19432,384,332 Nicholas Sept. 4, 1945 2,385,910 Bracken Oct. 2, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 519,984 Great Britain Apr. 11, 1940 520,467Great Britain Apr. 24, 1940 570,311 Great Britain July 2, 1945 574,348

Great Britain Jan. 1, 1946

